Road or rail? There has always been a lot of controversy about this and I for one think it is time we looked outside the very narrow way we approach this subject.
State-owned NZ Rail and now KiwiRail have never been good providers — so why not have private enterprise do the job?
Large road transport companies with freight-handling expertise could take over the operations. If this happened, I am sure it would be a major success.
My thoughts would be to have low-profile trailers with small wheels; these would be multi-operation units with drop sides that could carry all sorts of goods — fertiliser, shingle, etc — and the ability to add drop-in poles so they can carry logs or special fuel tanks . . . the list goes on and on.
Also, a special platform could allow trucks to drive specially designed trailers on to the rail wagons. Having a plate in between the wagons would allow the trailers to be driven to the allotted position, be unhooked, and drive the truck off again at the end of the delivery/journey. The reverse procedure would also happen.
